The Will of the Blades: The Blight's Taint
by Alazian
Summary: After a summoning spell goes horribly wrong, Irelia finds herself in Ferelden. She decides to join the Grey Wardens alongside Jayde Tabris and Craddon Aeducan in their quest to defeat the blight. Rated T for violence, could be changed to M in future chapters depending on how the story goes. Eventual Irelia/Alistair romance. First Fan-fiction so please review
1. Summoning

**Chapter 1- Into Darkness**

Irelia finished eating her meal at the Institute of War's cafeteria and made her way to her quarters so she could prepare for her next match. She was always ready to fight if required but she was not looking forward to this battle. Her summoner for the match was a novice and was likely to place her into bad situations and inevitably give the opposing team some easy kills. She was just hoping that the match would end as quickly as possible so she could return to her own duties.

When she arrived to her own room, she quickly replaced the kimono she was currently wearing for her armour and meditated, mentally preparing herself for her match, trying to dispel all thoughts of losing. She failed completely and began to make her way towards the summoning platform, finding her summoner waiting for her at the entrance. As she approached him, he asked her "Are you ready?"

"Yes." she responded, calmly walking her way past him, her blade following closely behind her. She entered the small room where she would get summoned into the fields of justice and waited until it was almost time to start the match.

"_Can you hear me Irelia?" _She heard her summoner's voice speaking to her through some form of telepathic connection that the summoners established with the champions they were competing with.

"_Of course I can hear you." _She replied, slightly annoyed of being asked that question every time she was about to start a match.

"_I was just checking."_ the summoner said defensively._ "No need to get annoyed at me for asking."_

"_Then don't ask me stupid questions. If it worked for all the other summoners then it is going to work for you as well." _Karma would not be pleased if she found out that Irelia had lost her patience this quickly, but she wasn't in the mood for being patient today and as she felt the summoning magic starting to transport her to the battlefield she thought '_what a wonderful way to start the match.'_

"_I heard that."_ Her summoner let out a quick smirk, obviously amused by her sarcastic comment.

"_Shut up summoner!" _Irelia yelled in her head, finally snapping at the summoner trying to converse with her. However her comment only led him to laugh at her reaction, earning a glare from Irelia. Her glare worked on most occasions and this time was no different as the summoner stopped his laughing and focused on the summoning spell he was casting. Irelia sighed outwardly and waited for the summoner to finish the spell.

Just as the summoning spell was nearing completion she heard the summoner yell out in surprise _"what the hell was that?!"_

"_What's happening summoner?" _Irelia questioned, clearly agitated by his outburst and wanting to know what caused it.

Irelia started to get worried now as the blue magic that was summoning her to the battlefield now started to shimmer out of control as it appeared to be failing. _"Summoner focus on the spell, it appears to be failing!" _she heard no response and the magic continued to shake in a frenzy around her. She tried to contact him again but it soon became obvious that there was never going to be a response from him. All she could do now was just sit there and wait for something to happen. She didn't have to wait long as pain started rushing through her head, causing her to scream. She felt like her head had just had a brick stuck inside her head, weighing her down. As she fell, everything around her started to lose all shape and fade to black. It was as if she had gotten trapped inside the void, and with that thought, the pain in Irelia's head was too much for her to handle as all consciousness slipped away from her.

_Author's Note: This is my first fiction so please give me your opinions on the story and anything I could improve on for future chapters. I'm planning on sticking with Irelia's POV but if you want some chapters written in the POV of a different character, just add it in your review and I'll consider the request/s. I'm open to any suggestions or ideas and would appreciate your support. Now with that out of way, please enjoy._


	2. Questions and Riddles

**Questions and Riddles**

As Irelia began to regain consciousness, she looked around at her surroundings, trying to figure out where she was. The area was filled with huge trees and swamps that seemed to go on forever. She quickly thought of the possibility that she could be somewhere in the Kumungu and that she needed to find a way out fast if she was in the Kumungu. Before she started to look for a way out, Irelia saw that she was missing her father's blade and almost panicked at the thought of losing the blade that meant so much to her. She became distracted however as she heard the familiar sound of a twig snapping from behind her. When she turned around to see who or what was behind her, her eyes came across what appeared to be deformed humans that most people would call monstrous and vile. Irelia simply thought that they were the victims of Singed's experiments and could only be granted mercy through a swift death.

As the creatures laid their eyes on her, Irelia saw their insatiable desire for blood and knew that they would not be patient and were likely to charge directly at her, so she simply waited for them to make the first move. She proved to be right as they quickly charged head on, thinking she would be easy prey for them seeing as they had superior numbers and she had no weapons. Irelia was much more dangerous than they expected as she ducked under the first creature's swing and punched it in the chest. The creature then tried to swing at her again from the opposite side but Irelia grabbed its arm before it could complete its swing. As she had a hold on the creature's arm with her left hand, her right hand came around to punch it in the face, knocking it to the ground. As soon the creature was on the ground, she took its sword and stabbed it through its heart, killing it instantly. She immediately turned around to deflect the next creature's attack as it tried to stab her from behind. As the creature's thrust went past her, Irelia followed up by swinging her newly acquired sword, dislodging the creature's head from its neck.

Irelia saw two more of these creatures charging at her but she noticed one of them was half the height of the others. That did not matter though for it was just as twisted and blood thirsty as the others and would have to be killed. Instead of waiting for the two creatures to attack her first, like she did with the first creature, she instead lunged at the creatures with blinding speed and stabbed the taller creature with her sword before it could even blink. Irelia had performed her Bladesurge technique, a skill she had learned from a young age and had served her well throughout many battles in her life. As the taller creature fell to the ground, its lifeless body fell in front of the smaller creature causing it to trip over the taller creature's body giving Irelia the perfect opportunity to kill it where it lay. She had already killed four of them and as six of them remained Irelia was confident that she would win this battle. The creatures fought with little skill and were driven only by their lust for blood. She was about to charge in and finish the rest of them off but she heard footsteps from behind her and turned around to see a young, well-muscled man with blond hair and a small patch of facial hair on his chin. He was charging towards her carrying a heavy shield and a plain long sword. As he approached her, Irelia was ready for him to attack her; instead she was surprised when he yelled at her. "Look Out!"

Irelia instinctively dropped to a crouch and felt one the creature's blade slice through the air just above her head. She reversed the grip on her blade and stabbed backwards, feeling the blade cut into the creature's flesh. She turned around to see the creature fall to the ground with a wound in its stomach. Irelia knew it would die from loss of blood but decided to be merciful and slit its throat granting it a quick death. As she finished off the creature another came from the side of her, trying to catch her off guard, however the man who had warned Irelia only a moment ago had reached her and bashed the creature with his shield, knocking it to the ground and allowing Irelia to finish it off. Irelia rose from her crouching position and saw a woman sneak up behind two of the creatures and slit their throats before they could react. The last two creatures were killed quickly as another man cut one's body in half with a massive broadsword and the other collapsed as an arrow was lodged into its skull.

With the creatures now dead, Irelia looked at the man who warned her and said "Thank you for your assistance in that battle."

The young man just grinned and replied "It was no problem; we saw you battling the darkspawn and thought it would be cruel to just leave you for dead, although you looked more than capable of defending yourself. My name is Alistair and I hope you would be so kind as to tell me your name." Alistair finished the statement with an almost mocking bow.

Irelia smiled at Alistair's sense of humour and returned the bow in the same fashion. "My name is Irelia and I find myself lost, with no idea where I am and wondering what exactly these darkspawn creatures are."

Alistair's expression quickly swapped from being humorous to being curious. "We are in the Korcari Wilds and the darkspawn are tainted creatures that usually stay underground, looking for an Old God so they can taint it. Once so called Old God is tainted it becomes an Archdemon and leads the darkspawn to the surface, destroying everything in their path."

Irelia had never heard of the Korcari wilds or the darkspawn and was looking at Alistair, confused. "I have never heard of the Korcari Wilds or the darkspawn. I just woke up here and am confused by all this. What country am I in?"

"I find it hard to believe that you just woke in the Wilds but to answer your question we are in Ferelden." Alistair was now extremely curious as to who this woman really was.

"I am afraid I have never heard of your country. I am from Ionia in the continent of Valoran. I am a fighter in the Institute of War and I was being summoned to battle. However the spell went awry and I fell unconscious and woke up here, where I was attacked by these darkspawn."

"So you're saying you were summoned here?" Alistair asked, astonished that such magic even existed in the world.

"It couldn't have been intentional but yes that's what I'm assuming happened." Irelia answered thinking back to her summoner's reaction when everything had gone wrong.

Alistair was confused as to this woman's situation that he simply didn't know what to do so he decided the best thing to do was take her with the group and explain to Duncan about this recent turn of events. "Well as confusing as this situation is, my friends and I are in search of some old treaties that could help us against the blight and I'm hoping that you would be willing to join us while we figure out what to do."

Irelia considered his suggestion and thought it to be logical but first she needed to find something of her own before she joined them. "I'd be willing to join your company for now but first I need to find something of my own first." She focused her mind and sensed her own blade nearby and quickly ran off to retrieve it.

"Hey wait up!" Alistair yelled, caught off guard by her sudden movement further into the woods and started running after her. After a few minutes of chasing after her, he stopped and saw a glorious but frightening sight. Irelia was standing there but with a sword that had to be out of this world. It looked to be four blades levitating around a shining red orb and was floating around Irelia as if it was as light as air. The design and levitation of the blade scared him but it was also looked graceful and deadly. As he had that thought, he realised that it also reflected Irelia in the same manner and he looked at stared at her, seeing her lithe body, her long flowing hair that was oddly, a dark shade of blue that Alistair had never seen for a woman's hair before, and those piercing eyes that seemed to be trying to burn holes into his own. He realised that she was a young, beautiful woman that could catch the eye of most men but at the same time was a quick and agile fighter that could kill him with ease. It was a combination that fascinated but at the same time, frightened him to no end.

"It must look quite strange to see a blade flying beside me, doesn't it?" Irelia asked him obviously amused by his reaction. Although she didn't realise that he wasn't just staring at the blade.

Snapping back to attention, Alistair quickly replied in a joking manner. "Well you're just full of surprises aren't you?" Before she could reply the rest of Alistair's group appeared and seemed to be just as shocked by the flying sword. Before they could get too distracted however he introduced them. "Irelia, allow me to introduce you to my group. These two men are Daveth and Jory." They greeted Irelia quickly and continued to stare at the blade floating around her. Before Alistair could introduce the last member, she walked up to Irelia and gave her a suspicious look

"My name is Jayde Tabris and if I want to know what sort of magic you are using to make that sword fly." Irelia faced the other woman, now known as Jayde, was impressed to see such bravery against the unknown. Jayde had the same thin build as Irelia but was much shorter and her hair was jet black and instead of being long and spread out, it was short and fashioned a pony tail that went down to her neck. But what stood out most about her were her ears. While most people had round ears, Jayde's ears were thin and pointed at the tip.

"Why my blade can fly is a long story that I hold very personally and will not tell you until you've earned my trust. All you need to know is that it is not because of magic but something far more powerful." Irelia told her with an obvious note of finality to it. "Now if I wasn't mistaken you were in search of some treaties to help with your effort against this blight of yours. Now whoever is in charge, lead the way." Jayde nodded her understanding and began to lead the group through the wilds.

While searching for the ruins in which the treaties were supposedly left behind at, Alistair explained how he was a Grey Warden, who were warriors of great renown that were tasked with stopping the darkspawn at all costs. He also told her that the others were to go through the Joining, a ritual that all who wanted to become Grey Wardens had to go through. When Irelia asked him to tell her more about the Joining, he hesitated and told her that he wasn't supposed to tell anyone, anything more about it. She respected his wishes and didn't ask anything else about the Joining, to Alistair's relief. Alistair then began to ask her about her life in her own world. While she kept details about her personal life secret from him, she told him how she was a champion in the League of Legends, where fighters from all over Valoran fought to settle political disputes, such as land and ethnics, for the country they represented.

They eventually arrived at the ruins and found an open chest that should have had the treaties in it. The chest was empty however and before they could search the ruins further, a woman spoke from behind them. "What have we here? Are you a vulture I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones were long since cleaned. Or are you an intruder, coming into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey? What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?"

"And just how is it that these are your wilds?" Jayde had begun to approach the woman and was obviously suspicious of this new woman as she exchanged words with her. The woman laughed seemingly amused by the question.

"Because I know them as only one who owns them could. Can you claim the same? I have watched your progress for some time, where do they go I wondered. Why are they here? And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"

Alistair appeared to be just as on edge as Jayde was. "Don't answer her she looks Chasind and that means others may be nearby"

The strange woman replied in a sarcastic manner, waving her arms around. "Oh, you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you."

"Yes, swooping is bad"

Daveth finally found the courage to speak "She's a witch of the wilds, she is. She'll turn us into toads."

"Witch of the wilds? Such idle fancies those legends. Have you no minds of your own?" She now turned her attention to Irelia. "You there, woman do not frighten like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine"

Irelia didn't trust the woman. She had just appeared out of nowhere and wasted no time at all to make fun of them, but she decided to comply, for now. "My name is Irelia Lito, Captain of the guard of Ion…

"I asked for your name, not your life story. However you have honoured your part of the bargain Irelia and now I shall honour mine. You may call me Morrigan if it pleases you. Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest? Something that is here no longer?"

Alistair became angry at Morrigan's words. "Here no longer? You stole them didn't you? You're some kind of… sneaky, witch thief." Irelia rolled her eyes at his supposed insult.

"How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men?" replied Morrigan, obviously feeling unthreatened by Alistair.

"Quite easily it seems. Those documents are Grey Warden property and I suggest you return them"

"I will not for it was not I who removed them. Invoke a name that means nothing any longer if you wish, I am not threatened."

"If you weren't the one who took them then who did?" asked Jayde. She doubted very highly that Morrigan had no knowledge of who possessed the treaties.

"It was my mother in fact"

"Can you take us to her?"

"Now that is a most sensible request. I like you"

"Be careful. First it's 'I like you' then zap, frog time" Alistair warned in a joking manner. Irelia couldn't help but laugh a little at his joke. However her laughter was short lived as she soon found out that Daveth was a superstitious coward.

"She'll put us all in a pot, she will. Just you watch."

Thankfully though it seemed she wasn't the only one unimpressed with his superstitions, as Jory rebutted "If the pot's warmer than this forest it'd be a nice change."

Morrigan interrupted their banter before it could continue and led them further into woods. Irelia was impressed by Morrigan's sense of direction as they walked through various twists and turns that would have gotten anyone else in the group completely lost and it wasn't long before they reached a clearing with a small hut in the centre of it. They approached the small hut to see an old lady waiting for them.

Morrigan who was at the front of the group addressed the lady. "Greetings, Mother, I bring before you five grey wardens who…

"I see them girl. Hmm, much as I expected," The lady then looked at Irelia. "except for you. You don't look as if you belong with this group"

Irelia was instantly on edge as the lady seemed to be very perceptive. "And what would make you say that?"

The old lady laughed as if it was the funniest thing she had heard in her life. "Are you trying to play a trick on me girl? In all my years I've never seen anybody with armour or a sword even remotely similar to what you are currently equipped with, and that's excluding the fact that your blade is flying through the air around you with ease."

Irelia sighed in defeat "Ok you're right I'm not from this country. I'm not even sure I'm even from this world. All I know is that I was somehow summoned here by accident and have no clue as to where my way back will be."

"You are a mystery to me and if you were around me for even a week, you'd know how rarely those words ever escape my mouth."

Alistair, annoyed by the whole situation as he was, decided now would be a good time to interrupt their conversation. "Wait, are we supposed to believe that you were expecting us?"

The lady now turned his attention to the young man. "You are required to nothing, least of all believe, shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide, either way, one's a fool."

Again Daveth frustrated Irelia as he continued to ramble on about these silly superstitions of his. "She's a witch I tell you. We shouldn't be talking to her."

Again Jory proved to be just as fed up with Daveth's talk of mythical tales. "Quiet Daveth, if she's really witch do you want to make her mad?"

Jory now caught the attention of the lady's gaze "Now there is a smart lad, sadly irrelevant to the larger scheme of things, but it is not I who decides, believe what you will." She now finally faced Jayde. "And what of you? Does your woman's mind give you a different viewpoint or do you believe as these boys do?"

Irelia looked at Jayde and saw the confusion in her eyes. "I'm not sure what to believe" she answered after a a moment's thought.

"A statement that contains far more wisdom than it implies. Be always aware, or is it oblivious? I can never remember. So much about you is uncertain and yet I believe. Do i? Why it seems I do."

Alistair looked at the group seemingly amused by the old lady's prattling. "So this is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds?"

"Witch of the Wilds huh? Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tales, though she would never admit it. Oh how she dances under the moon." She let another loud laugh as Morrigan shook her head out of what appeared to be embarrassment

"They did not come to listen to your wild tales Mother"

"True, they came for their treaties yes? And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off long ago. I have protected these.

Alistair seemed to flare up in anger "You!" then stopped as he registered the last of her words. "Oh you protected them."

"And why not? Take them to your grey wardens and tell them that this blight's threat is greater than they realise."

Jayde, still confused about the whole situation at hand asked "What do you mean "this blight's threat is greater than they realise'?"

"Either the threat is more or they realise less. Or perhaps the threat is nothing. Or perhaps they realise nothing." The lady once began cackling in laughter "Oh do not mind me. You have what you came."

"Time for you to go then." Morrigan said, looking quite pleased to be rid of Irelia and the grey wardens.

"Do not be ridiculous girl, these are your guests."

"Oh. Very well, I will show you out of the woods." She sighed at the thought of having to deal with them for any longer than was necessary. "Follow me"

As Morrigan led the group towards the exit of the wilds, Irelia had a lot to think about regarding this 'Blight' everyone spoke of and the devastation it apparently wrought to the land now known to her as Thedas. If it was anything like what the Noxians did to her own home of Ionia then she knew she couldn't just idly wander around for a way out while doing nothing to help. She had to help these people fight the blight in whatever way she could and it seemed to be that the Grey Wardens were looking for promising fighters to combat the Blight. She had made her decision and she wasn't going to back down from it, no matter the consequences. She approached to where Alistair and Jayde were walking and told them of her choice. "I know what it's like when your home is being taken away from you. I fought with everything I had to protect my own home when Noxian soldiers invaded Ionia and while I was able to drive them away from my home, I had failed in protecting my family and most of those that I loved. If I can prevent that pain from plaguing the hearts of your people then I would like to offer my aid to you. I wish to join the Grey Wardens and battle the blight alongside you." Jayde gave her a warm smile of thanks but Alistair confused her, for even though she could saw the admiration and respect he had towards her, she also saw a look of regret and worry that seemed to stem from having her dragged into this. She could only assume that the consequences of her decision may be greater than she realised.


	3. A Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 3: Necessary Sacrifices

As the group neared their destination, Morrigan left the group in order to avoid the army and made her way back to the clearing she lived in. The group arrived at the ruins of Ostagar and Irelia had to admit that it was perfect for defending against an army. High walls that stood high enough so most archers couldn't hit the guards keeping patrol from up there. However their archers would be free to rain arrow after arrow upon the opposition. The positioning of the fortress also meant that an army would be forced to approach them in one direction, removing any chance of a flanking manoeuvre. Irelia suspected however that there would be a hidden exit to allow the defenders to get hit the enemy from a concealed position or escape if they were overwhelmed. All in all, she could see how this would be an ideal place to hold off the darkspawn. Her assessment of the fort was cut short however as the group was greeted by a man who appeared to be in his mid-forties. "Alistair, you have returned and it seems you have brought some unexpected company with you" He had noticed Irelia as they were approaching him and was curious on who she was.

"Hello Duncan. This is Irelia; we found her battling darkspawn while searching for the treaties. She was apparently summoned here from someplace she calls Valoran by accident and had decided to accompany us in our search for the treaties. While we're on the subject, we have the documents here." Alistair showed the treaties to the man named Duncan and continued to explain the situation to the best of his ability. "I told her about the blight that currently plagues Ferelden and she has decided that she wishes to join the Grey Wardens, along with the other recruits."

Duncan now turned his attention towards Irelia. "Are you sure you wish to join the Grey Wardens?" Irelia nodded confirmation and stayed silent. He saw a look of determination that he thought would be quite useful in the upcoming battle against the darkspawn horde. "Would you still be willing if I told you that there is no turning back after you have committed to this course of action and that you could end up never seeing your home or loved ones ever again? In fact you may not even survive the Joining."

Jayde interrupted after hearing the last part of Duncan's question. "Wait! What do you mean we may not even _survive _the Joining?" Duncan looked at Jayde who was looking at him with surprise in her eyes.

"I cannot lie, you may end up paying the price sooner rather than later. That is why the Joining is kept a secret"

"So you saved my life just so you could possibly kill me just a few days afterward?!" Jayde was angered by this new turn of events and seemed to be ready for a fight if provoked further. Irelia decided to step in by answering Duncan's previous question.

"I suspected that I may have to make sacrifices in order to assist in defeating this Blight of yours and I am willing to face any consequences that may result from my decision."

Duncan had only known this girl for a few minutes and he already respected her for her bravery and determination. She would make a fine Grey Warden if she was fortunate enough to survive. "I apologise for not being honest with you Jayde about the Joining but there is no turning back now and you must follow it through, for the good of Ferelden and its people."

Irelia expected Jayde to burst out in anger but instead, she seemed to calm herself and nodded her understanding. She wasn't pleased with the information she just received but she was willing to move past it in order to protect her people. Irelia couldn't help but begin to like this pointed eared being. "Shall we continue on with the Joining? I am rather curious to find out what it requires."

Duncan was pleased to see the situation handled but he still needed to make sure Irelia was a capable fighter, though if her floating sword and crimson armour had anything to say, she seemed to have faced her own share of battles. "Alistair, you said you found Irelia fighting the darkspawn; how capable did she appear on her own?"

Alistair just grinned before saying "The darkspawn didn't stand a chance against her. We may have assisted her but she was far from needing it. By the time I reached her to give her cover with my shield, she had already slain at least half of them and I'm a pretty fast runner. Not as fast as her though, I saw her fighting with speed that would even give Jayde something to worry about." He turned his grin towards Jayde to show he meant no offence from the comment. Jayde simply smiled at Alistair. She'd had the same impression of Irelia's speed and precision.

Duncan had another question but it was aimed back at Irelia. "And what about that sword of yours? Does that have some tale behind it or can you simply make any blade fly at your command?"

Irelia's tone now hardened to that of steel. "There is a reason my blade can fly yes but as I told Alistair and the others, it is not a tale I am willing to share with you just yet until I am able to trust you more than I currently do."

"No matter, if Alistair says you are a capable fighter and you're willing to commit to your new duty then you are able to go through the joining"

"Then let us waste no more time and go through the Joining."

"Agreed, Alistair has the treaties but the other Grey Wardens and I still have some preparations that we must complete. You can explore around the camp for a while but I request that you restrict yourselves to this side of the ruins and that you do not venture out into the Korcari wilds again. Meet us within the hour by that small clearing to the edge of the ruins"

* * *

As Duncan and Alistair left them to complete his preparations Daveth and Jory immediately began to make their way towards the clearing as they had already been at the ruins for several days and were already familiar with the camp they were situated in. Jayde however had only been here for a day and wanted to gather her bearings around this place before she went through the Joining. Irelia was left wondering around a fireplace when her eyes fell upon a man caring for a group of hounds. He seemed to be distressed about something and Irelia though he could use the help. "Are you alright? It looked like you needed a hand with something" Irelia said as she approached him.

The man looked at Irelia with the same look of wonderment and fear that Alistair had given her when he first saw her with her blade. '_I'm going to have to get used to that look_' Irelia thought because that blade never left her side and was the only thing she had to remember her father by, but there was also another reason that was far less sentimental. The man realised he was starting to stare and spoke apologetically. "Forgive me, I didn't see you there"

Irelia smiled at the man. "It's quite alright, I was just wondering if I could assist you with any troubles you may have." The man nodded and looked towards the hound in the nearest kennel.

"I'm in charge of caring for the hounds in the king's army but unfortunately I'm having trouble muzzling this dog right here. His master died in the previous battle and when apart from their master the hounds become extremely aggressive towards anyone else who approaches them. In the last battle this poor hound got too much darkspawn blood in his body and is slowly dying from poison essentially. If only I could get him muzzled then I may be able to cure him and hopefully imprint him to a new master, maybe even you if you could help me out."

The man's offer made Irelia look at him in surprise. "I've never owned a dog before and I'm not exactly the type of person who would be able to look after and pamper him every hour of the day"

The statement merely made the man laugh as if what she said was completely ridiculous. "This is a mabari war hound; they were bred centuries ago to be able to understand and carry out complex commands given out to them by their masters. They are also quite the powerful fighters and extremely loyal to their master. They would die to save their master's life in a heartbeat and you would be hard pressed to convince him to leave your side once he has imprinted with you. The only pampering you would have to do is give him plenty of food; he would probably be offended if you treated him like a fragile pet."

"Very well, I will see if I can muzzle him for you but I am unsure as to whether or not I want to become his master."

The man simply grinned and said "Usually it's the dog that makes the decision not the master" Irelia sighed at his words and walked towards the dog, muzzle in hand. She looked into the dog's eyes and saw that the hound was in extreme amounts of pain and she reached towards the animal hoping to calm it. The hound growled at her at first but he seemed to understand that she was only trying to help him and began to lie on the ground waiting for her to approach him. She laid a hand on the hound and put the muzzle across his mouth. She gave the hound a scratch just under the chin and walked away to talk to the man who watched her put the muzzle on the dog. "Well done! I never thought anybody would be able to calm him."

Irelia was pleased that the hound would now have a chance to survive. When she had looked into the hounds eyes it had seemed like the dog had made a connection with her as if she was like an open book for his eyes to read and study. She had felt slightly unnerved by what she had initially thought to be an infiltration into her mind but she had quickly begun to grow comforted by the hound's presence. It was as if he would always be able to understand her, from her actions and decisions to her own motives and beliefs. "Will you be able to make sure he makes a full recovery?"

The man now looked at her with a look of sadness. "Now that he is muzzled I can begin to help him but odds are he will have to be put down quickly. The only cure for the poor fella is a flower that resides in the Korcari wilds but unfortunately non-soldiers like me aren't permitted to venture out into the wilds. The type of flower I need grows quite abundantly in the wilds but there are few other places where it resides."

Irelia looked at the hound with regret as she was also not permitted to go into the wilds; however a voice that she knew belonged to Jayde spoke up as the woman approached the pair. "What does this flower you need look like?" The man turned his attention to her and explained that the flower was white with a red centre. Hope began to spread through Irelia and the man as Jayde opened her hand revealing a flower that matched his description and handed it to the man. "Take it, I found it not long before we came across you Irelia and that dog needs it much more than I ever will."

"Thank you for your assistance kind elf, I will turn this into an antidote immediately; the poor hound should be able to make a full recovery now." The man left the company of the two women to make a cure for the hound. Irelia couldn't thank Jayde enough for what could only have been a great stroke of luck. Jayde simply smiled at her gratitude and made no attempt to boast or act higher than Irelia.

Instead she simply replied "It is not an issue Irelia, we are soon to become sisters in arms and I believe it is better to get along with a sister than to oppose her over trivial things" Irelia and Jayde hugged each other to cement their new friendship and started walking to the small clearing. As they made their way there Irelia needed to ask Jayde about something the man had called her as she handed him the flower. "I heard the man call you an elf, is that some sort of title?"

Jayde almost laughed at her question but she quickly remembered that she wasn't from Thedas and answered her question seriously. "No, it isn't a rank or title; elves are a race of pointed eared people," she said as she showed the tips of her ears. "Who are naturally shorter and usually of slighter build. Most elves live in cities as second-class citizens who have trouble finding work for their whole lives and are treated like slaves and animals by the humans we are forced to live under. They even keep us living separate from their kind in what's called an alienage, where living conditions are so poor that crime rate is always high and getting through the day with only an unknown sickness would almost be considered a blessing. Some elves are lucky enough to be born in a tribe of nomadic elves called the Dalish that live in the forests, free from the rule of humans. It matters not though for as long as you are born an elf no matter if you are a city elf or Dalish elf, humans will treat you like inferior beings that were created only to serve their own pathetic whims."

Irelia felt disgusted that people as kind as Jayde was were treated in such a manner but they couldn't all be so cruel to elves. "What about the man who was caring for the hounds? He treated you with equal respect and I find it hard to believe that Alistair would be discriminatory against you or your people."

"You're right that some humans couldn't care less about race and judge us by how we are as people and not the race we were born under but those people are a small minority in comparison to the worst of them. I have nothing against people like that man or Alistair who treat me and other elves in general as equals but I will never be able to forgive humans in general for the wrongs that my people have been forced to suffer for centuries."

"Then how come you were able accept me as a companion so easily and no one else?"

"Because you're not the same as the others; you were raised in a completely different world and you are unaware of the way people are raised or what they are taught to believe in, just two minutes ago you didn't even know what an elf was." Jayde couldn't help but begin to laugh a little as she said the words. Irelia started to feel more and more at ease around Jayde; she wasn't a perfect woman, she had her flaws and was anything but innocent, yet her heart was in the right place and she was always willing to help a friend in need.

* * *

As the two women finished their conversation they arrived at the small clearing where Daveth and Jory seemed to be bickering with each other. Irelia and Jayde went to the corner of a wall and waited patiently for the Alistair and Duncan to finish their preparations. Irelia began to become irritated with her new partners as all they seemed able to do was argue with one another. It seemed that Jory was angered by the secrecy of the Joining and Daveth was tired of his blubbering. Irelia stood there maintaining her calm and composed façade, even though she was becoming increasingly agitated. Her façade broke however when Jory claimed that it didn't seem fair. "Fair? From what I heard about you, you competed in a tournament to prove your worth and you won. You left your wife and child to become a Grey Warden and now you say that they were unfair? All because it just so happens that there is more to being a Grey Warden than killing and glory!?"

Jory seemed to snap at her words. "How dare you!? You think I was happy at the thought of leaving my Helena to fight these creatures!? I will return to her when I have completed my duty for the Grey Wardens!"

"What do you not understand about 'There is _no_ turning back'? Your duty to the Grey Wardens is permanent you fool! You agreed to become a Grey Warden and now that they enforce their warning you want to back out, even though you were already made well aware of the sacrifices needed well in advance. You placed yourself in a position that you can't escape from and you only have your own foolishness to blame!"

Jayde seemed to believe that now would be a good time to intervene in their argument. "And what about you Irelia? You must have people you care about and want to return to."

"You are right that I will miss Ionia and the people of my country but I have no clue as to how I would even get back to my home. Besides they gave me ample warning and allowed me to make my own decision. Anything I come to regret as a Grey Warden will be my own fault, not theirs."

"You didn't mention your own family, why is that? Won't you miss them?"

Irelia's anger at Jory quickly dissipated as she broke eye contact with her newfound friend but Jayde saw the look of sadness in her eyes and she knew the answer without it needing to be spoken. It was the same look that she had whenever she had heard talk of her own mother. Irelia missed her family more than anything else; of course she wished to see them again, they were dead.

The group stood in silence as they continued to wait for Duncan and Alistair to appear so the Joining ritual could start; although Jory's anger was evident and it was focused directly at Irelia any and every time their eyes met each other. Irelia would simply look at him in contempt and remain quiet, deliberately ignoring him. They didn't have to wait much longer as Duncan and Alistair arrived along with another person who was half their height but appeared to be much bulkier. Duncan began to speak to them as he revealed what the Joining ritual actually required. "At last we come to the joining. The grey wardens were founded during the first blight when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation, so it was that the first grey wardens drank of darkspawn blood; and mastered their taint."

Jory was terrified as he found out what was needed in order to become a Grey Warden. "We're going to drink the blood of those, those creatures?"

"As the first Grey Wardens did before us; as we did before you. This is the source of our power, and our victory."

Alistair began to explain the reason behind it. "Those who survive the joining become immune to the taint. We can sense the darkspawn and use it to slay the Archdemon." Everyone was too shocked by this revelation that they couldn't speak. Duncan continued to speak, remaining perfectly calm and composed. "We speak only a few words prior to the Joining but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would."

"Join us brothers and sisters, join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant, join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn and should you perish; know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day, we shall join you." Duncan took a large goblet containing the darkspawn blood from the shorter man's hands and walked towards them before saying "Daveth, step forward." Daveth took the goblet from Duncan and drank from it. As Daveth handed the goblet back to Duncan he began to stagger, struggling to stay on his feet. He started mumbling weird sounds and collapsed to his knees with his hand holding his throat. "I am sorry Daveth" Duncan said just before Daveth lay on the ground, dead. "Step forward Jory"

Jory began to step away from Duncan and draw his sword readying it against Duncan. "But I have a wife, a child; had I known"

"There is no turning back" Duncan started approaching Jory laying the goblet on the ground and drawing one of his own daggers, remaining as calm as ever.

"No! You ask too much, there is no glory in this!"

Irelia looked at Jory, disgusted by his words. "This isn't about glory Jory; it's about doing what must be done!" Anger overcame Jory as he ignored Duncan and charged at Irelia swinging his massive broadsword at her in an attempt to cleave her body in half. Irelia's sword flew in front of her; blocking what would have been a fatal strike. Before Jory got a chance to attack her again Irelia advanced towards him punching him directly in the nose causing Jory's eyes to water and blur his vision. She then kneed him in the stomach and sent her blade flying towards him. Forced on the defensive Jory blocked blow after blow from the flying sword, forgetting all about Irelia assuming she would stay a safe distance from him while her blade went to work hacking away at his defences. His assumption became his downfall as he didn't notice the woman come up to the side of him and bring the side of her palm directly into his neck, crippling him and leaving him paralysed on the ground. Before he could ask for mercy, Irelia sent her blade flying straight through his heart, killing him instantly. She looked at the others and saw their reactions. Duncan seemed impressed by how quickly she had taken care of Jory while Alistair was frightened and angered by her actions. Jayde on the other hand was not sure how to feel about the Jory's death. She understood that Irelia reacted in self-defence but she looked regretfully at the fresh corpse; did he really need to die? "Why did you have to kill him Irelia; I know he just tried to cut you in half but did he really deserve to die? He was just scared"

"He had every right to be scared but he gave in to that fear and tried to run away from his duty, I would never back away from my duty no matter how scared I was; tell me why he should be allowed any indifference."

"And he deserves death for that?!"

"No, he attempted to kill me and I acted out of self-defence." Irelia wasn't mad at Jayde but she had hoped that she wouldn't have opposed her actions in regards to Jory as she had just done. "I will admit that his actions beforehand may have affected my judgement but that is no excuse for his own actions."

Duncan intervened in their argument. "It matters not, the Joining must continue." Duncan handed the goblet to Jayde and waited for her to drink. Irelia watched as Jayde drunk from the goblet. Irelia was impressed by Jayde's openness about her thoughts and her willingness to risk all that defined her as a person in order to save the ones she loved and held dear to her heart. It would be tragic for her to die like this; for nobody deserved death by purposefully drinking what was essentially poisoned blood. Her hopes were shattered as she began to stagger and mutter just as Daveth did. Unlike Daveth however, she kept herself standing but eventually fell to the floor lying motionless. Before Irelia could begin to mourn Jayde's demise, Duncan walked up to the body and shocked Irelia as he addressed the body. "Congratulations, you are now a Grey Warden."

"She lives?"

"She is strong willed and has been through her share of hard times, she will awaken in time, but the Joining is not yet complete, you must also submit yourself to the taint, for the greater good of our land." Relief had surged through as she realised that her friend was still alive and able to fight the creatures that terrorised her homeland; and also by the fact that the joining was indeed survivable. She received the goblet and drank from the goblet, consuming the remaining darkspawn blood. As soon the blood entered her mouth she struggled to swallow the blood as every drop that slipped down her throat seemed to burn her from the inside out. There was no backing out from it however, she had already made her decision and now was the time to fulfil her promise and join her newfound friend in the Grey Warden order. No matter how much she wanted to spit the blood out she kept swallowing bit by bit of the blood until it all slipped down her throat. She began the same process of staggering and trying to hold her head up as she stopped seeing the clearing and instead she saw everything turn black except for a massive dragon staring at her with eyes that tried to stem fear into her. Irelia had charged into an army of thousands of Noxian soldiers without even a hint of fear, she had faced death countless times without a trace of worry or regret and yet the monster seemed to be able strike fear wherever he looked, leaving Irelia feeling lost and confused. The dragon let out a vicious, blood-curdling roar and as quickly as she had found herself trapped with the dragon she returned back to the small clearing where she had just drank the darkspawn blood with Duncan and Alistair looking at her with concern.

She had apparently dropped to her hands and knees as she had gone through what she could only think of as a hallucination. She slowly tried to get up on her feet but as soon as her hands left the ground she immediately began to collapse, only stopping from falling thanks to Alistair catching her. "Irelia, are you alright?" he said as he slowly laid her down into an awkward sitting position.

Irelia moaned from the pain that was coursing through her head and mumbled "I… everything went black then… I saw some sort of dragon and."

Before Irelia could continue rambling Duncan started to explain. "I assume you mean the Archdemon, the monster that leads the darkspawn to the surface in order to ravage everything in its path until everything we know and love has been destroyed. I must admit that I'm surprised by the fact that you're still awake from the ordeal; very few people are able to withstand the pain from the Joining and still maintain consciousness."

"Thank you but I don't think I will be staying conscious for long." Irelia said hoping they would let her rest.

Duncan merely nodded his approval and said "Congratulations, you are now a Grey Warden. Alistair will lead you to a vacant tent where you can get some sleep. You will need it for the coming battle." Duncan walked off his own tent, leaving Alistair to support Irelia as they slowly made their way to the tent they had set up for her. When they reached the tent Irelia thanked Alistair as he made his way to his own tent and then proceeded to crash to the floor and fall fast asleep with her blade lying right beside her.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and i hope you are enjoying the story so far but PLEASE review. I really want to know if you are enjoying the story so far and if you have any thoughts or suggestions for later chapters._


	4. Last Resorts

Last Resorts

Irelia had always been a light sleeper, awaking from the slightest noise that was out of place. It had saved her from several assassination attempts but also led to many sleepless nights. She now sat up awake as she heard footsteps approaching her tent and saw Duncan walk into her tent. "Good, you're awake. We are attending a meeting with the king shortly so you only have a few minutes to get yourself ready and meet me outside so we can proceed to the meeting place" he said before she could ask. Duncan made his way out of the tent and began to wait for Irelia but it was unnecessary as she exited the tent after just a few seconds of waiting. He looked at her amused and said "Already prepared? I was almost expecting to be waiting for a good hour."

Irelia nearly took offense at the comment; she had never concerned herself with pointless things such as making herself appear more beautiful and was always more focused in aiding Ionia, whether it was through diplomacy or combat. "I have my armour, my blade and my honour" she said as she nodded towards a strange piece of metal that was shaped with several smooth curves and floated directly behind her, but unlike her blade it always maintained the same distance between it and her instead of continuously floating around her. Also the strange object would be perfectly symmetrical if cut straight down the middle. "I have no need for anything else" Duncan nodded his approval as they began to make their way towards the meeting sight. "Will Jayde and Alistair be attending the meeting as well?" Irelia asked, curious as to why she had yet to see them with Duncan.

Duncan shook his head and answered "Alistair and Jayde are busy helping the king's army with any final preparations that are required before the next battle with the darkspawn in just a few hours."

"Then why are you making me attend this meeting?"

"Because I believe it would be beneficial for you to get your first impressions of him firsthand instead of what you hear about him." Irelia nodded her understanding and listened to Duncan as he asked a question of his own. "I am rather curious of that strange object that hovers above your head; do you mind telling me what it is, or is that another tale that I will just have to earn your trust on?"

Irelia smiled at his words and answered "It is called the Mantle of Decorum; it is the highest honour one can receive in Ionia for their services to the country. The Ionian people are usually peaceful and prefer diplomacy and negotiation over fighting and violence so it is very rare for someone to receive such an honour through bloodshed."

"I take you were one of those rare occasions. Care to tell me your story?"

"It is a long story that I would rather not speak of. Maybe another time when I have become accustomed to working with you and the other Grey Wardens, but until then I ask that you respect my wishes to keep it to myself."

"I was merely asking out of curiosity, there is no need for you to tell me if you do not wish to."

Irelia smiled warmly at Duncan and said "Thank you for understanding Duncan. As I said before, I may tell you my story one day but you should understand that it has shaped my life in ways I would have found hard to comprehend myself if I hadn't been as directly involved in it as I had been."

"It is no issue Irelia; you are welcome to speak as freely as you please while with the Grey Wardens." They walked the rest of the way in silence and soon approached two men who were seemingly arguing with each other about the upcoming battle. Irelia studied the two men carefully. One man was clad in silver plate armour and had a taciturn face that made him appear to be a man who had seen his fair share of battles. It also gave him the appearance of a capable tactician. The other man surprised her however; he was undoubtedly youthful man who didn't seem to take the need for tactics seriously, but what shocked her was that the man resembled Alistair so closely that if she were told the two were twins she may have believed it. The man was clad in golden armour however and his hair grew down to his shoulder, unlike Alistair's which was neatly trimmed and only reached his neck; which would make it easier to tell the two apart. As they reached the men she started to hear their argument.

"Loghain my decision is final; I will stand by the Grey Wardens in this assault" the young man stated. The older man who had been called Loghain objected readily.

"You risk too much Cailan; the darkspawn horde is too dangerous for you to be playing hero on the front lines."

"If that's the case perhaps we should wait for the Orlesian forces to join us after all." Loghain appeared to become angry at the mention of these Orlesians that Irelia had only just heard of now.

The older man continued to voice his disproval with the king's suggestion. "I must repeat my protest to your fool notion that we need the Orlesians to defend ourselves."

"It is not a fool notion, our arguments with the Orlesians are a thing of the past and you will remember who is king."

How fortunate Maric did not live to see his son ready to hand Ferelden over to those who enslaved us for a century."

"Then our current forces will have to suffice, won't they?" Cailan now turned his attention to Duncan as they arrived. "Duncan are your men ready for battle?"

Duncan addressed Cailan with respect. "They are your majesty" Cailan now turned his attention to Irelia.

"And who is this that you've brought along with you? Is she another Grey Warden?" Duncan introduced Irelia to the king.

"Her name is Irelia; she went through the Joining alongside the other recruits, though her conscription was quite sudden"

Loghain added his own voice to the conversation. "Do you mind telling us where you originate from? I have never seen anyone with a sword or set of armour like yours, let alone the fact that your sword can fly by your side."

Irelia was unsure whether or not she should reveal how she woke up in Ferelden; fortunately Duncan made the decision for her. "I have also tried to get information from her but she had opted to keep her origins a secret for now; maybe in time she will be willing to open up her story to others but for the present moment she refuses to tell us."

Loghain glared at Irelia, suspicious of her and what secrets she was hiding. "Then how can you trust her to not betray you when the opportunity arises?"

"Then that will be my own issue to deal with but for now how about we hear of your plan for the upcoming battle." Duncan was beginning to get tired of the General's suspicions.

"Yes Loghain, would you mind telling us what master plan you have schemed up this time" Cailan said wanting to end the meeting as soon as possible.

Loghain sighed and began to explain his plan. "You and the Grey Wardens will draw the darkspawn into attacking our lines and then you will alert the tower to light the beacon, signalling my men to charge from cover."

Cailan pointed towards a map in front of them and indicated towards a certain point. "This is the tower of Ishal in the ruins yes? Who shall light this beacon?"

"I have a few men stationed there; it is not a dangerous task but it is vital."

"Then we should send our best; send Alistair and Jayde to make sure it's done."

This time it was Irelia who spoke. "If Jayde and Alistair are off lighting the beacon then where will I be?"

It was Duncan who answered her question. "You will be with me and the other Grey Wardens, fending off the darkspawn while the other two light the beacon." Irelia nodded her understanding and left them to finish their planning and returned to the camp.

* * *

When Irelia arrived at the camp she saw Alistair and Jayde waiting for her. She greeted the two of them and told them of the plan for the coming battle. As she finished explaining the plan she saw that Alistair seemed displeased. His displeasure was confirmed by his next words. "You mean I won't be joining you in the battle?"

"Alistair if the beacon isn't lit then Loghain's men won't know when to charge. We would be sending the king and his men to their death if we don't do it." Jayde was trying to reason with Alistair and convince him that they were doing the right thing.

"But does he really need two Grey Wardens to stand there holding a torch around when we could be contributing to the battle?"

Irelia decided to put a stop to his complaining. "I know you wish to fight in the battle Alistair but you swore an oath to the Grey Wardens that must be followed through. If they wish two Grey Wardens to stand and look all brave and stoic, holding a torch then that's what will happen. It may not be exciting but we chose to become Grey Wardens in order to serve Ferelden; it is our duty and we do what we have to."

Alistair seemed to give up trying to argue, seeing that it wouldn't change anything. There was no point in antagonising his partners over something that wasn't going to make the slightest difference but he would still get the last word. "Alright I'll go and be the king's mighty errand boy, but if the king asks me to wear a dress and dance the remigold I'm drawing the line." His mood was quickly improved as the two woman laughed at the thought of Alistair dancing while in a dress.

Irelia was the first to control her laughing and replied "And what if it was me asking that request of you?"

"Maybe if you asked nicely, but it has to be a pretty dress." Alistair expected the reply to continue her laughter but instead she showed an almost evil grin.

"Then I better start looking for the best dress I can find." Alistair turned his attention to Jayde with a hint of worry.

"I'm going to regret this in the near future, aren't I?"

Jayde simply continued to laugh at their banter before inhaling deep breaths and saying "Sorry Alistair but you've dug your own grave here."

Alistair sighed out of submission and said "I just realised what it must feel like to be on the receiving end of my jokes" with a smile.

The group sat in companionable silence as they waited for Duncan to arrive, giving Irelia some time to think to herself. She had only been in this strange place for a day and already she had pledged herself to an order tasked with defeating a massive army of monstrous creatures, befriended a woman who belonged to a race that didn't even exist in Valoran, and made a special bond with a dog that had previously lost its master. Her thoughts became focused on the dog she had helped muzzle. When she had looked into his eyes she saw a lot of pain and had considered whether it would be more merciful to give him a quick death; but she couldn't bring herself to do it. That hound had relaxed around her and had let her handle him as if she was his master. She began to wonder how the hound was faring now and stood up to check up on the hound. She was stopped however when Duncan arrived. He spoke to Jayde and Alistair quickly before sending them on their way to the tower of Ishal before signalling Irelia to follow him. "This will be no small battle and I hear you helped a certain mabari war hound get better; I would suggest checking up on him to see if he is fit to fight."

"How do you know about that?" Irelia said, confused that he somehow knew about the hound.

"It's hard not to hear the activity of a certain blue haired woman with weapons and armour that look out of this world" Duncan smiled at her to indicate he meant no offence by the statement. "Now, if I were you I'd hurry to your new hound; the battle is going to commence in less than an hour"

"Thank you Duncan" she said as she made her way to the kennels and met the caretaker from before. The caretaker noticed her and guessed her reason for coming here.

"The hound is faring well and looks ready for a battle." As soon as he said those words the dog began to bark and claw at gate the gate that was separating him from Irelia. He looked up at his new master and let out a small whine at her, pleading for her to open the gate. Irelia smiled at the hound and opened the gate separating the two of them. She kneeled down to give the hound a quick pat but as she began to pat him, he leapt on top of her taking her down and proceeded to lick her face, causing her to laugh as she tried to push the dog off her.

After a few moments the dog finally hopped off her and received a mock glare that quickly transformed into a genuine smile as she said "Maybe you should save that for celebration when we win this battle together." The hound barked happily at his new master as she said that he would be alongside her in the battle. He had already lost and mourned for his first master and he was determined to protect his new master to his very last breath. Irelia faced the caretaker and said "I thank you for taking care of him and I hope I can repay you after the battle."

The caretaker shook his head at the offer of repayment before replying "You owe me nothing in return; you were the one who saved the poor fella's life and he has chosen you as his master. If I had to ask for anything, I would ask what you plan to name your new companion."

Irelia looked at the hound and did not hesitate in giving him his new name. "His name is Spirit, in honour of his determination and will to survive that which would have killed many others."

The man seemed to approve of Irelia's choice of name. "So his name is Spirit? I like it, the name fits him." Spirit barked in approval of the man's opinion; His new master had given him his name and he would bear it proudly until the day where he would eventually pass away from this world, whether it be because of battle or simply passing away as an old dog, resting by his master's side for the last time.

Irelia and Spirit departed to meet up with Duncan who was waiting for them alongside King Cailan. "It is good that you were able to find me in time and it seems you have your hound with you" Duncan said as they approached him.

Cailan seemed excited with meeting the hound and knelt down to pet it but Spirit snapped his jaws at Cailan warning him to keep his hands away from him. "He's a ferocious one isn't he? What did you name him, Snappy?"

Irelia smiled at her new friend then said to the king "His name is Spirit and I suggest you keep your hands away from him or me or he will likely pounce on you; he is very protective of me."

"Nevertheless it will be a great honour to stand side by side with you and the other Grey Wardens."

"Thank you Your Majesty but if you don't mind I would appreciate it if I could go to my position in the battle."

"Of course; may the Maker guide your hand and may he lead us all to victory." Irelia didn't know who this 'Maker' was but she assumed he was some sort of god that these people worshipped.

Irelia and Duncan left the company of the king and joined their brothers in arms; but no sisters as Irelia was the only female in the Grey Wardens, apart from Jayde but she was making her way to the tower with Alistair. The battle was about to begin in just a few minutes and they waited anxiously for the command to attack. As Irelia waited patiently a man that was easily half her height but twice as muscular; who Irelia had learned was a dwarf, began to talk to her. "It's good that you and that elf managed to survive, this battle is not going to be an easy one and we can use every advantage we get." The dwarf didn't look happy or pleased with her but he seemed to know that she was a strong fighter. As she turned her attention to the dwarf, she became positive that she had seen him before.

"You look familiar, have I seen you before?" Irelia asked him.

The dwarf simply nodded and replied "Yes you have; I was at your joining where you killed that coward Jory with ease."

Recognition dawned on Irelia as she thought back to the night before. "I remember you now. My name is…"

"I know what your name is Irelia; you may call me Craddon but don't go thinking we're automatically best of pals. I'm only here because I'd be dead otherwise and I have a certain score to settle that requires me alive."

Irelia sighed at his words, as his meaning behind them couldn't be any more obvious. "As you wish but don't let your intentions for revenge get in the way of your duty or I'll make sure you meet the same fate as Jory" she said, making herself sound as intimidating as possible.

Craddon just laughed at her response as if she was insane. "You assume I would be as easy to kill as that fool"

"And you assume my battle with him revealed all my techniques. You are a fool if you think that I'm just some girl who just happened to get lucky in a battle."

"And you're a fool if you think I'm going to let you stop me just because you have some fancy blade and armour! Besides, why would you care about my intentions when you don't even know what I've been through?"

"Because you have to put your old life behind you; your one and only concern is with the Grey Wardens and not with some stranger who cheated you out of something trivial."

"You know nothing of my problems if you think it was anything trivial."

"Neither do I care to know, that was in the past before you became a Grey Warden and it is no longer of importance."

Craddon mumbled angrily to himself and dropped the issue, although he was none too happy about it.

* * *

The battle soon commenced and Irelia and the other Grey Wardens charged into battle killing darkspawn after darkspawn. The horde was massive and never seemed to end but no matter how many came to confront them they were killed quickly giving the Grey Wardens a gap that they could push into and open up further. It just so happened that Irelia, Duncan, Craddon and Spirit had pushed further than anyone else and were soon surrounded. The darkspawn thought they would be easy prey now that they had gotten themselves surrounded but they proved to be a formidable team. Duncan would wait for the creatures to attack before dodging or blocking their attacks, leaving them open for a quick blow that would fell them immediately. Earlier in the fight Irelia had disarmed and taken a pair of long swords from one of the many creatures she had killed and was unleashing a deadly dance of death while her own sword flew through the battlefield, efficiently killing any and all darkspawn that were unfortunate enough to be in its path. Even though Craddon wasn't as fast or agile as Irelia and Duncan, his plate armour and light shield meant he was able take several rough blows without even flinching, while he smashed his foes' legs from under them with his mace, giving Spirit the perfect opportunities to rip their throats out with his razor sharp teeth. Spirit had already survived the poison of darkspawn blood and had nothing to fear from consuming their blood from time to time, even if they tasted disgusting.

After several moments of fighting the darkspawn as a small team, the king and his forces managed to catch up with them, finishing off any darkspawn that hadn't already been killed by the Grey Wardens. Cailan approached the small group and smiled at them as if the battle was like a huge party. "It appears that you have been getting more than your fair share of darkspawn to slay tonight."

None of them found the battle enjoyable or amusing and it was with a serious tone that Duncan replied "We need to give Alistair and Jayde the signal to light the beacon now or else we'll be overwhelmed."

Cailan nodded confirmation and ordered a few of his men to signal the tower before joining the group in their merciless assault, swinging his massive broadsword at any darkspawn within his reach. They continued to fight the overwhelming numbers of the darkspawn horde but they began to notice that something wasn't right as they saw no men charge from cover to flank the darkspawn. They looked back to see the tower still hadn't given the signal for Loghain's men to charge and they realised they were becoming overwhelmed quickly as more of the king's men were killed around them.

"Why haven't those precious friends of yours given the signal to sodding charge already?" Craddon yelled at Irelia, obviously angry at the position they were now caught in.

"Just hold them off for a little bit longer, they won't fail us!" Irelia yelled back at the dwarf who was beginning to doubt her friends.

"Are you sure about that because we should already have men flanking the darkspawn and winning this battle for us!"

"Both of you quit your arguing and focus on the task at hand!" Duncan said to stop their argument; after all they were in the middle of a battlefield. Then much to their relief they saw a fire light from the top of the tower. Irelia smiled towards the tower; her friends had not failed them and they would win the battle, but all of a sudden Irelia felt a surge of dread as there were still no men charging from cover. What was going on? Why weren't Loghain's men coming to their rescue?

She heard heavy footsteps from behind her and swung around to see a terrible sight. A massive creature that easily stood eight feet tall knocked Duncan into the air with a single swipe of its hand and grabbed Cailan with the other, literally squeezing the life out of him. The king died instantly and was thrown into Craddon as he charged towards the massive beast, knocking him to the ground as well. That left Irelia and Spirit still standing as it charged towards them but before he managed to lay its hand on Irelia, Spirit barked at the giant beast and sank his teeth into its leg causing it to roar in pain. However Spirit was quickly kicked by the beast's other leg and was sent flying away from the giant. As the beast turned to take care of Irelia it felt a sharp pain in its chest. It looked down to see Irelia hanging from her long swords that were sticking out of the beast's heart. Irelia pulled one of the blades out only to stab it back into the giant repeatedly as she emitted an angry shout and looked up to give the beast a glare that contained such fury at the harm of the hound that had tried to protect her. As the creature fell her flying blade flew in to insert itself into the giant's neck, killing it after a few spasms of blood emitting from the wound.

Irelia fell off the giant, leaving the two long swords in its chest as her own blade dislodged itself from the beast's neck, and ran towards her teammates. Cailan was dead; he had died instantly when the giant squeezed him. The rest were alive as they began to slowly rise to their feet; Craddon and Spirit had only suffered from bruises and shock but Duncan seemed to have fared worse as he limped towards them. Irelia knew that Duncan's chances of survival were very slim but his next words surprised her nonetheless. "Go! I will hold them off for a few moments; you, Craddon and your hound need to get out of here. Flee into the wilds and avoid any darkspawn you can; you must rally Ferelden to combat the Blight before it spreads into other countries and becomes unstoppable." Irelia looked at him speechless and nodded her understanding.

"I will do everything I can to save Ferelden before it's too late. May you find peace in death Duncan; your sacrifice will not be in vain.

Duncan smiled at the girl and gave his farewells before he turned to hold off the darkspawn. Irelia joined Craddon and Spirit and fled towards the wilds. The darkspawn however were numerous and a large group began to cut off their escape. Irelia knew that Craddon and Spirit were still weak from the giant's onslaught and that she would be hard pressed to defend them through conventional fighting. She took a deep breath as she resorted to her greatest technique, her transcendent blades. She felt a rush of calm hit her as four short, intricately carved daggers materialised out of thin air and shot towards the large group of darkspawn blocking their path. The blades passed through their armour as if it wasn't even there and shredded anything in their path. As the blades killed more and more darkspawn Irelia's wounds began to heal and she felt faster and stronger than before as she lunged at the remaining darkspawn, killing them quickly with her father's sword that now floated close by her, reacting to her hand gestures as it cleaved through the creatures.

They escaped through the wilds not stopping until they were clear from any signs of the darkspawn. As Irelia began to lay down with her back against an old tree she saw Craddon stare suspiciously at her and she realised that after they were out of the wilds she would have quite a bit of explaining to do but as Spirit lay down beside her with his head on her lap, resting in the comfort of his master Irelia was content with falling next to her companion while Craddon took the first watch of the night.

In the middle of the night Craddon woke her up and she stood up to take up watch duty. As she stood still, constantly scanning the area for any signs of danger she suddenly came to the realisation that she had left Jayde and Alistair behind. She started to fear that her two friends we now laying dead in that tower, with no one knowing whether they survived or not. Realistically she came to the conclusion that they probably didn't survive but she couldn't help but desperately hope they had somehow escaped.

* * *

_Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed chapter four of the story and I hope that you will review so I know if you're enjoying the story so far. If anyone is curious Craddon is the Dwarf Noble Character. Yep, I decided to add more than one origin in my fan fiction so I'm hoping that will turn out for the best. I don't think I will be adding anymore origins to the story but I could change my mind as the story goes on. Anyway thank you for reading and as I have said before I would appreciate any suggestions given or CONSTRUCTIVE criticism you have to offer._


	5. Reunion

Reunion

It had taken a few days but with some luck Irelia, Spirit and Craddon managed to find their way out of the wilds and on the main roads. As they left the forests behind them Irelia stopped to discuss with Craddon about their next destination. "Craddon we can't just wander aimlessly and we need to find some sort of village or town to get supplies and repairs."

"Don't worry about it; now that we are on the main roads I'm pretty sure I can direct us to Lothering by afternoon tomorrow."

"Good, the sooner we get there the quicker we can resupply and discuss our next move." Irelia began to start moving but she was stopped by Craddon before she got far.

"I'll show you the way to Lothering but if you don't start explaining how you can make blades out of thin air and how you can make that large blade of yours float but no other blades then I'm going my own separate way. I'm not going to travel with you if you leave me out in the open about these things."

Irelia sighed in resignation as she knew that Craddon's assistance would help greatly in what already seemed like an impossible quest but she was still unwilling to reveal her story to anyone, let alone Craddon."

"I'll tell you about my transcendent blades technique as best as I can but I'm still not telling you anything about the events in my life."

Craddon softly grumbled a few inaudible words and said "Well I supposed that's as close as we're ever going to get to an agreement. It is getting dark so we should set up camp while we can but once we start travelling first thing in the morning I'm going to be expecting an explanation. I'll take first watch tonight so go get your beauty sleep and while you can." As soon as he said the words his hands went to his stomach as pain shot through him where he had taken a nasty wound in the battle. Craddon's armour had taken most of the damage from the battle against the darkspawn but a genlock had managed to get through his armour before immediately having its face smashed by his mace. The wound was still in the process of healing and would sometimes unleash a surge of pain on Craddon.

Irelia walked to check up on the dwarf's wound and decided it would be better if he got some early rest. "You need rest for that wound of yours; I'll take first watch, I'm sure my beauty sleep can wait a few hours." Even Craddon had to give a quick smirk at her comment as he soon drifted off to sleep on the cold hard ground.

Craddon woke up expecting to see Irelia waking him up in the middle of the night but instead he saw her watching him as he woke up, with a fresh brew of tea in her hand. He realised it was pretty early in the morning. He saw Irelia looking at him with eyes that were red around the edges and he realised that she had been keeping watch for the whole night. He looked at Irelia with a confused expression before questioning her. "Why didn't you wake me up for watch duty?"

"You needed the extra rest more than I did. I will manage without a night of sleep."

"I'm tougher than you think if you believe that a small surge of pain will stop me but now I'm making myself sound ungrateful. I appreciate it Irelia but my wound will heal in time, there is no reason to hinder your own skill just for the sake of me having a slightly faster recovery."

"Well then we better waste no time in reaching Lothering, after all I owe you an explanation." Irelia said finishing her tea and heading off to the main road. But before Irelia could get any further, Craddon yelled out to her.

"Hey, where the sod is my breakfast. After all we did skip dinner last night and I'm hungry."

Irelia just stared and grinned at the dwarf, but it wasn't a comforting grin, instead it seemed to say that he had just gotten himself caught between a rock and hard place. "So I suppose you would prefer it if I kicked you in the ribs to get you to awake instead of letting you have a nice little nap while I suffer through the night." Usually Craddon would have agreed with the statement but he had the feeling that if he said so Irelia would make good on her offer of giving him a nice painful kick and with his wound still acting up occasionally he didn't consider the exchange worth the trouble. So he did the smart thing by staying silent and leading her and Spirit on the way to Lothering. Irelia continued to grin at the dwarf's resignation to the subject before deciding to be merciful. "Don't worry, I only had that cup of tea this morning so when we reach Lothering we will go to an inn or tavern and get some food there"

Craddon only sighed before saying. "I still would have been grateful for a drink."

Irelia gave him that same cursed grin before replying "Oh don't worry about that; I'll throw you into the next lake we find, you'll have plenty to drink then."

"I think I will enjoy smashing your face with my mace one day." Craddon became confused as she gave him a look of realisation.

"So that's why you looked so happy while you were having your precious sleep." Craddon couldn't help but laugh as he thought of much he would love to have that dream.

"Come on, the faster we get to Lothering the faster I can get some food in my stomach." Irelia became serious and nodded as she let him lead the way.

* * *

"We should be at Lothering within an hour or two" Craddon said after hours of travelling along silently. "I think now would be a good time for some explanations."

Irelia sighed as he said those words, now was the time for her to come clean about her abilities. "Before I tell you about my transcendent blades, you should know that a part of my soul is actually inside my blade; don't bother asking how because I won't tell you anytime soon. But it's because of this link that I can use my own soul to create those blades. I can make as many as I wish and they pass through armour as if it's non-existent. When they inflict damage to my foes they revitalise me, healing my wounds and making me move faster and stronger than normal, but there is a huge side effect to this technique." Craddon listened intently as she told him things that didn't seem possible. He had a hard time imagining that any side effect would cause such caution using it.

"Well I didn't see you dropping dead last time you used it so I imagine the price would be worth it."

Irelia continued as if she hadn't heard Craddon speak. "As I said I can summon as many as I like but with each one I summon I become increasingly sick afterwards."

Craddon was still confused on what the big issue was. "So what if you get a bit of a cold, that ability of yours could take out an army."

Irelia let out a laugh that contained no traces of humour. "I am aware of that, when Noxian soldiers invaded my homeland of Ionia I was able to push them back by summoning about fifty transcendent blades. The battle had been won and my homeland had been saved only for me to pass out and wake up, learning that I had been in a coma for six months and still needed to rest in a bed for the next month while my sickness wore off. That is why I must be cautious whenever I use that technique. I can summon four without any side effects, aside from a minute or two of coughing afterwards. Any more however and I start to face the consequences of using that technique too much. Luckily for me the side effects begin to occur about a day afterwards but that means I'm restricted to only using my own sword for that same amount of time. Do you see now why I must be cautious of how I use my abilities?"

Craddon looked at Irelia in disbelief. She was in a coma for six months just by using that one ability? He imagined that any more than that and those blades could very well end up killing her. "It seems more like a suicide attempt than a life saver."

"It is if I overexert myself, but it has saved me on more than a few occasions. Anyways, now that I have explained myself we should finish the trip to Lothering."

They walked in solemn silence but after half an hour Craddon saw Irelia face him with that sodding grin on her face again. Irelia pointed to the side of the path before saying, "Hey Craddon is that a lake in the distance?"

Craddon looked to where Irelia had pointed and saw that there was indeed a lake. Craddon's first reaction was relief that they had found something to drink, but as he had that thought he remembered Irelia's earlier offer and quickly turned to her, yelling, "Don't you dare or I'll rip your arms off!"

Irelia laughed loudly before replying, "I'm sure I can do without my arms; I have a flying sword after all."

"Let's just get to Lothering before I actually do rip your arms off" Craddon said as he walked away mumbling loudly to himself. Spirit however had other plans as he rushed off to the lake and jumped straight in. Craddon was starting to lose his patience at Irelia and her dog and wished they could just get to Lothering. After all he was starving and wanted some food as soon as possible. "Irelia keep your damned dog under control or I will put him on a leash."

Irelia was insulted by Craddon's threat of putting Spirit on a leash. "For your information, I let him go for a swim and have a drink. I can't help it if he's thirsty."

"Well he's had a quick drink so get him to come back to us so we can finish our journey. We'll be in Lothering in less than an hour and I don't want any more distractions."

Irelia considered what he had just said and for once, she agreed with him. "Spirit, come on, you've had your fun!" Spirit rushed over to his master's side and barked happily at his master. Irelia leaned down and gave him a quick scratch around the ears before saying, "Good boy Spirit, now stay with me and Craddon for the rest of the way." Spirit barked his understanding and the group travelled the rest of the way to Lothering.

* * *

Irelia got her first glimpse of Lothering and realised it was more of a well-populated village than a town but that didn't matter. As long as they could get the supplies they needed then Lothering would be as good a place as any. As they approached the village they were approached by a group of armed men, blocking the way that would lead into Lothering. Irelia looked down at Craddon as she heard him begin to ramble about 'sodding bandits always getting in the way' and looked at the highwaymen with disgust. She had always despised bandits that would prey on innocent people simply making their way towards their required destination. Fortunately there were very few bandits in Ionia; _she_ had made sure of that. She didn't wait for the bandits to begin their negotiations and got to the point, letting her sword fly dangerously close to the man in front of everyone else who she assumed to be the leader. "If you value the lives of you and the men around you I would suggest leaving this place _immediately_ before I decide to kill you all" Irelia said, giving the leader that dangerous glare that instantly told him that there was no negotiation in the matter. Irelia was glad to see the bandit leader as the coward he truly was, as he fearfully turned around and shouted at his mean to evacuate the area before she could change her mind. One the men, a massive man who lacked as much brain as he had in muscle, foolishly thought it to be a good idea to question the leader's command. Before the leader could respond to the man's stupidity, the oaf found himself on the receiving end of Irelia's blade as it dove straight into his chest, piercing his heart and killing him before he hit the ground. "Would anyone else like to question your leader or will I have to cut you all down?" The bandits needed no further encouragement as they ran as fast as their feet could take them. However as the bandit leader ran past Irelia she grabbed him by the throat and gave him a final warning. "If I ever find you preying on innocents again I will beat you within an inch of your life and throw you out into the wilds for the wolves to finish you off. Do I make myself clear?" Irelia's voice was so cold it sent shivers through the leader's spine as he nodded with a slight whimper. She released the man's throat and kicked him on his way as he fled Lothering. Irelia turned to Craddon to see him with a smile that couldn't possibly get bigger.

"And just when I thought I could hate you, you do something like that to improve my mood. A part of me loves you but the other nine parts of me still want to rip your limbs off." To Craddon's surprise however Irelia seemed to look as if she regretted her actions from just moments ago.

"I shouldn't have killed him; he was just stupid, not rebellious. He would have followed them regardless and yet I just sent my blade flying straight into him." Craddon realised she was talking about the poor sod who was still rotting on the pathway. He had no sympathy for that oaf. All he had to do was follow his leader's orders and he wouldn't have died. He questioned orders and faced the consequences for his actions. The punishment may have been a bit harsh but Craddon had learned how cruel life could truly be.

"There's no need to feel sorry for him, he would have just preyed on more people and sooner or later he would have met the fate; at least you gave him the mercy of a quick death away from the public eye. The guards who would have eventually caught him would have humiliated him by hanging him in the middle of a large crowd." What he said was true and Irelia began to realise that his death was probably for the best.

"You're right but I still should have handled myself better, it's always something that has angered me"

"And so it should. If it was me who had made the decision then they would all be rotting on the ground right now, at least you gave them a chance to start a new career." Irelia sighed as she no longer wished to talk about it.

"Come on, we need to get our supplies and get you feed. After we have done that we should leave and decide where to go next." Craddon nodded in agreement and they made their way into the village where they quickly bought a few tents for camping and some health poultices. Irelia had also found a pair of curved swords and convinced Craddon to buy the blades with the spare money he still had. Irelia may have had her father's blade but she still found it assuring to have a pair of blades she could keep close at hand in case any opponent managed to evade the flying blade. As they made their way to the tavern Irelia noticed people staring at her and the blade that floated around her. It was expected, Irelia stood out from the others even without her blade which only attracted more attention. It would be impossible to not get noticed if someone began searching for her but there was no around it. Her father's blade would never leave her side no matter what and she doubted that the blade would accept any sheath even if there was one that could actually cover the massive blade.

As they entered the tavern they came across two soldiers who were obviously searching for them as they began to draw their blades. "Well it seems we have found ourselves a pair of treacherous Grey Wardens." Irelia raised an eyebrow at the soldier's words.

"What do you mean by '_treacherous_'_'_?" Before the soldier could reply, a young woman with orange hair intervened.

"They say that the Grey Wardens led the king into a trap killing him and themselves at the battle at Ostagar. Now please there is no need to be uncivil, I'm sure these are just some innocent travellers passing by."

The soldier was obviously not convinced. "Stand aside or we will kill you as well, there is no mistaking these two for Grey Wardens; especially this one" he said as he pointed at Irelia. "Kill the wardens and the girl as well if she gets in the way" he said to the other soldiers in his command. As of the soldiers drew his blade and tried to swing it at Irelia's neck she ducked under the blade and drew her own blades, injecting one through a gap in the man's armour before rising to remove his head from his shoulders with the other blade. With the help of Craddon, Spirit and the red haired girl, who had decided to assist them with a dagger she had kept concealed under her robe, the rest of the soldiers were quickly dealt with before only the commander still stood, his broadsword lying uselessly on the ground. "I surrender, I cannot beat you."

"Good, then we can all lay our weapons and walk away as if this never happened" the girl said as she once again concealed her dagger. Irelia planned on letting the commander live but she still needed to have a quick word with him.

"The Grey Wardens are not responsible for the defeat at Ostagar, Loghain betrayed us by making his men retreat when they were signalled to attack."

The soldier looked at her in disbelief at her words before saying, "Nonsense! I was there, the Teyrn pulled us out of a trap!"

"That's what he wants you to believe but there's no point trying to convince you. Leave and pray that our paths don't cross again."

The man let go a massive sigh of relief before thanking Irelia for her mercy and fleeing before she could change her mind. As the man ran out of the tavern, a group of three travellers had entered to see what the commotion was. Irelia's eyes widened in surprise as she recognised them immediately. She had not expected to ever see them again but there they were looking at her with the same shocked expression. Jayde and Alistair had somehow survived and escaped Ostagar and were standing there with Morrigan by their side. Irelia ran up and hugged the two Wardens that had quickly become her friends. There was going to be a lot of catching up to do later in the day.

_Author's Note: This chapter is slightly shorter than my other chapters (except for my first chapter but that was more of an introduction than a proper chapter) so i apologise for that but other than that I hope you enjoyed the chapter and are eagerly awaiting for the next chapter (unlikely but one can hope). As usual please review if there is anything you want to comment on or suggest for later in the story. If you have any helpful advice or criticism I would be glad to hear it so I can improve my writing and story-telling. Again thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed._


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